E-harmony preview/Wives/ Roundtables/ Using the Archive/ Anniversary - 3/27/07

Tue Mar 27 23:12:58 EDT 2007

- E-HARMONYMARRIAGE WEBINARS
- NOT ALL WIVES.....
- ROUNDTABLES 
- HOW TO USE THE ARCHIVE
- ANNIVERSARY LETTER FROM MICHELE WEINER-DAVIS THE DIVORCE BUSTER

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- E-HARMONYMARRIAGE WEBINARS

Some of you are skeptical and asked what these Free webinars are all about,
want to know before you register.  To preview a past webinar, click on the
link below.  This link, active until the end of March, is for a webinar that
was targeted to pastors (we have several special programs, including a
pastor's program). 

https://eharmony.webex.com/eharmony/onstage/g.php?AT=VR&RecordingID=742582&v
iewType=0&recordKey=B582753D5764648D89D736347669D1DF79392A9D952D50FC8A2CD96C
78518C5C   

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- NOT ALL WIVES.....

> HI Diane,
> In today's email in the article about Staten Island there is a quote I need to
> comment on: "There is not a woman in America that has not considered leaving
> her man," Mrs. Greer-Brown commented. That is NOT true!!! I have never
> considered leaving my man!!!!! And I'm sure there are many other women out
> there who have never considered leaving their husband.  Please give credit to
> the many happy marriages that have lasted over several decades... it IS
> possible to have a happy marriage without problems!!!!  My husband and I feel
> called to help couples prepare for marriage so that they can "go the distance"
> like we did!  It's a wonderful ministry and God has brought many couples to us
> for counsel.  By the way, we agree with Mrs Greer-Brown in that we also love
> "10 Great Dates" and plan to use it for couples in our area as well as for a
> ministry to incarcerated fathers and their spouses upon re-entry. Thanks for
> all your help in orchestrating a national network of marriage resources.
>    Shirley Briggeman
>    in Northwest Ohio

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- ROUNDTABLES 

> Dear Diane, 
> I tried to register for the conference On-Line and don't see how to make
> selections for the morning interest groups.  A colleague highly recommended
> these to me and I especially want a place at the roundtables on Clergy/Lay
> issues, Community Marriage Policies, and on Asian Marriage.  How do I reserve
> these? If you've explained this I apologize but I don't want to register until
> I'm sure I'm doing this right.
> Annah Lee

I just looked and I thought it said in the conference brochure that these do
not require registration, but even I can't find it, so I'm the one that
needs to apologize. Roundtables do not require that you register.  Just show
up. If you're registered for the conference, you're registered for these
sessions. It explains this on the Conference Website, but I know it should
also be in the brochure - and it's not that easy to find on the website.

BY THE WAY, there are additional Roundtables not listed in the brochure:
Healthy Sexuality in Marriage - Michael Metz and Barry McCarthy on Sat
Supporting Healthy Marriage - Sharon Rowser on Sat

For the complete list:
http://www.smartmarriages.com/roundtables.html

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- HOW TO USE THE ARCHIVE

> Hi Diane:
> About a month ago, you sent the list serv a letter that the wives from
> Mexico wrote to our government.  I no longer have a copy of it and was
> telling those in my group about it.  Everyone was really moved.  If
> you still have access to it, I would really appreciate getting a copy.
> Flo Coleman, North Carolina

This gives me a chance to remind subscribers about our wonderful searchable
archive. EVERYTHING ever sent to the list serv is permanently available on
the list archive. The address is available in the signature below.  Or, I
recommend that you bookmark the archive page.  It is an invaluable resource
and "filing cabinet".  Note that you can sort the items found by "date
created" if you know you're searching for something recent - like in past
year, that helps find it.

I went to the archive, put "Mexican" in the search box and immediately found
the item: 
http://lists101.his.com/pipermail/smartmarriages/2007-February/003313.html

- diane 

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- ANNIVERSARY LETTER FROM MICHELE WEINER-DAVIS THE DIVORCE BUSTER

Yesterday, Jim, my husband and I, celebrated our 30th anniversary.  . . .
instead of flying off to some exotic land to celebrate, we decided to stay
here in Boulder, Colorado . . . We rode bikes and half way into our ride, he
got a flat tire.  So, we sat in front of a small lake watching the sun rays
bounce off the lake like diamonds.  We marveled at the strange mammals in
the middle of the lake that came up for air occasionally and the random dogs
fetching bones thrown by their owners.  . .  The sunshine felt so wonderful
on our skin after our record-setting snow-filled winter.   Heart-felt cards,
gifts and a romantic dinner to end the evening. But before you jump to
conclusions and think, boy, it must be easy for them, Michele writes books
on marriages, she and her husband must have all the answers.  Well, guess
again.  The truth is, marriage is damn hard work.  Long-term marriage isn't
for sissies. There are times you think about giving up rather than giving
in.  Not all arguments have happy endings.  Marriage experts may have an
advantage because of their knowledge, but emotions often make knowlege
irrelevant.  Creating a lasting marriage is a humbling experience.   It's
part skill, part luck, elbow grease and blind determination.  It isn't
always pretty.   I remember the time I was doing a keynote and I asked two
thousand people to be honest and raise their hands if they had a serious,
ugly argument over the course of the week with their spouse.  Then, asking
those folks to keep their hands raised if they felt any embarrassment when
they were asked that question.  Most kept their hands raised.  Now remember,
this was an audience of marriage educators.  If marriage educators feel
shame about marital conflict even when we know its normal, imagine what the
rest of the world feels. So, I'm here to remind those of you in marriages
that get stormy or rocky, welcome to marital territory.  It's part of the
deal.  Get a good raincoat or 4 wheel drive vehicle for rocky terrain.
Don't fool yourself into thinking there's something wrong with your marriage
because it gets tough at times.  Working through the tough times - or just
surviving them - gives you a chance to right yourselves and reconnect around
your strengths and the things you love about each other.  So as the sun set
on our big day yesterday, I couldn't help but feel great pride in our 30
years together and soak in the joy that that what didn't kill us, did make
us stronger and that we still love each other very much.  And as Martha
Stewart would say, "That's a good thing."

There are still a few openings in Michele's Intensive Workshop, May 17-19,
in Boulder. For more info and to register:
http://www.divorcebusting.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code
=950&Category_Code=S

Or, register for her full-day training at the Smart Marriages Denver
Conference - it's also filling fast:
> 118 One Day - Thursday, June 28
> Become a Divorce Buster!
> Michele Weiner-Davis, MSW
> Learn two "teach-right-out-of-the-box" strength-based, solution-oriented
> programs - Marriage Breakthrough, an interactive one-day video seminar, and
> Keeping Love Alive, a 5-session, small group audiotape program. Teach a class
> or use as add-ons to other programs or in mentor/counseling settings.
> Effective even when only one spouse participates. Didactic, video and
> experiential. $50 spouse discount. Click for more information:
> http://www.smartmarriage.com/divorcebusting.html

Michele will also present a Sat morning Keynote "Divorce Busting on
Steroids" and repeat one of the most highly-rated and most powerful sessions
from the Atlanta conference on Sat afternoon.

> 508
> Affairs: Step-by-Step to Recovery
> Michele Weiner-Davis, MSW
> There isn¹t one right approach, but it helps to have a map of the territory.
> How much disclosure? When? Moratoriums? Why? Learn a flexible, adaptable
> structure that helps.

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11th Annual Smart Marriages Conference, Denver Adam's Mark Hotel,
June 28-July 1, 2007
Downlaod a brochure: http://www.smartmarriages.com/Brochure.07.pdf

List your program and resources on the Directory of Classes at
http://www.smartmarriages.com

Order conference audio & video CD/DVD/MP3s: 800-241-7785 or
http://www.iPlaybackSmartMarriages.com

Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couples Education, LLC (CMFCE)
Diane Sollee, Director
5310 Belt Rd NW, Washington, DC 20015-1961
http://www.smartmarriages.com
202-362-3332